Improvement in steam-engines



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHANIEL T. EDSON, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT iN STEAM-ENGINES.-

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,038, dated June 30,1863. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL T. EDsoN, of the city of New Orleans,parish of Orleans, and State of Louisiana, have invented a new andImproved Mode of Making SteamEngines and I do hereby declare that thefollowing isa full and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon.

Myimprovements consist in using the steamchest for a slide-valve and inregulating the speed of the engine by connecting the stem of the valveor steam-chest with the eccentricrod and governor, so that an increasedspeed of the engine will produce a less movement of the valve, andthereby increase the expansive use ot' the steam.

Figure l is a perspective view of a vibrat ing-cylinder engine. Theframe A is made similar to such as are used for vertical engines, onwhich is mounted the shaft. The cylinder is mounted on cross-frame c. Onthis frame is mounted pillar-blocks b, which make the carriage for theshaft, it being in connection with the lower cylinder-head, d. Thecylinder being thus supported and moved on the centers andbearings-viz., the pillarblocks b and shaftits movement is by vibrationson these centers to assume the positions natural to the crank action, sofar as its own vibrations are concerned. The steamchest e has one opening near each end against the cylinder leading to the side-pipe, f, whichare the exhaust openings and pipe, and other (supply) openings leadingto the steam in the chest, as shown in Fig. 2. The openings in thecylinder are between the supply and exhaust openings of the chest, whenthe chest is in its centers, b ut nearest the exhaust-openings. Thechest is held against the cylinder by roller g, plate h, and stay j,which stay is firmly attached to the shaft, and adjustment made byturning the set-screw 7c.

l is the pipe which is connected to the chest by a joint, a sectionalview of which joint is shown in Fig. 3, three of which joints are usedto connect the stationary part of the supply-pipe to the movement of thechest of a vibrating or oscillating cylinder engine. If the cylinder isstationary and the chest is used for a slide-valve, two joints only arenecessary. The joint, Fig. 3, used to connect the supply-pipe to thechest, is held tight by the lower end of plate 4, which receives thepressure of roller g, resting against it, and the other joint or jointsby a clamp, as shown. The exhaust-steam is conveyed from the side pipe Fby a flexible pipe.

m is the eccentric-frame, and o a block which ts and rests on theeccentric groove, but is shorter than the width of the frame and movesfrom side to side of the frame on revolving of the eccentric. The frameand block are held on the eccentric by pin n, which passes through them.The sides of the frame rest against the outer circle of the eccentric,by which arrangement of block, frame, and eccentric the ports are openedquicker and remain open longer than with the usual eccentricarrangement. If this arrangement ot' frame and block is used in ahorizontal engine, the straightedgcd block in the lower part of theframe m'should be replaced by a block similar to o in the top part ofthe frame.

p is the eccentric-rod with an opening through its end, through whichone end of the circular lever r passes with its other end pivoted to theframe A at s. The lever has aprojecting arm, 3, which ts and enters theslot ot the slotted segment t. The diameter of the circle of lever r isobtained by taking the center. of the crank on which the eccelltric isplaced for its center, and the diameter of the slotted segment t bytaking the center of the shaft for its center. It' the cylinder isstationary, the stem of the ordinary slidevalve or of the chest isattached to the prol jectin g arm 3 direct. The segment tis firmlyattached to the chest, and is moved' up and down on the revolving of theeccentric. The eccentric-rod lo is connected by joint to thegovernor-rod u, which is connected by joint to the angle-lever fr, whichlever has its pivot at w, with its other end resting in the groove lofthe governor-collar Fig. 4 is a side view of several parts that areimperfectly shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 a perspective view ot' the cheste without the side pipe, f, two of which chests are used, one for asupply on one side of the cylinder, the other on the opposite side forexhaust.

a is a connecting-rod which is pivoted to the projecting arm d of thechest at b', and to lever r at c'. When used in connection with anexhaust-chest, the connecting and eccentric rods are one, the lever rand governor arrangement being dispensed with.

When the work to be performed by the en'- gine requires all of itspower, the eccentricrod p will rest against the projection on the leverr, and the movement of the chest or valve will be sufcient to throw theports Wide open. On the speed ofthe engine increasing, the governor andan gie-lever will move the eccentric-rod out from the projection,thereby opening the ports sufficiently Wide only to keep up the speed ofthe engine. The crank when up revolving toward the governor, will causethe supply-ports to open when the crank is in the same position, atWhatever angle the eccentric-rod may assume to the connecting-rod, andto close at a shorter stroke as the eccentricrod leaves the projection.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The using of a steamchest for a slidevalve in combination with rollerg, plate h, and stay j, substantially as set forth.

2. The joint, Fig. 3, in combination with the plate 4, by which thegland 2 is held against the packing.

3. The combination of the eccentric frame m and block o, for thepurposes specified.

4. The combination ot' the eccentric-rod p, governor-rod u, angle-leverc, and lever fr, when acted upon by the governor to regulate the speedofthe engine.

N. T; EDSON.

Witnesses:

G. OBRIEN, D. W. DAvnNroRT.

